In just four days, a new Redskins campaign will begin.
The offseason was a grueling seven months long, but with all of the action that ensued for the Washington Redskins, it felt much shorter. Already, the 2018 season is here, and with it, there is plenty of intrigue.
The Redskins were once seen as a sleeper team for the playoffs, but the injury to Derrius Guice, the early-anointed savior of the team’s woebegone running game, did plenty to sully expectations.
Now, the Redskins an afterthought, something that should be familiar for them at this point. They’ve done nothing to repel such a reputation in recent years, but in 2018, with Alex Smith at quarterback and a strong defensive front, they might have a chance to do so.
We can talk about the possible outcomes of the 2018 season all day, or we can take it the same way the team will: One week at a time. Turning our attention to the Redskins Week 1 game against Arizona, there is plenty to keep an eye out for. Here are five players in particular that deserve your attention.
No. 5 – WR Paul Richardson
When it comes to the receiving core, the Redskins can offer Alex Smith something close to what the Chiefs offered him last year. The Chiefs have the most talented receiver of the bunch in Tyreek Hill, but the Redskins’ current core outmatches the 2017 Chiefs’ core in terms of depth. The only area in which it’s lacking is excess proven talent.
Paul Richardson can help with that. And after signing a five-year deal worth $40 million with the Redskins this offseason, the pressure will be on for him to make the difference.
Even aside from Richardson, the Redskins’ receiving core underwent substantial turnover, but now, after all the change, the latest product is not much different, in terms of quality. Terrelle Pryor provided almost nothing of value in his short stint with the team. Ryan Grant was a competent depth receiver, but between Maurice Harris and Trey Quinn, Washington should be able to replace him.
The X-factor in the Redskins receiving core will be, and always has been, the deep threat. One half of the equation is Alex Smith giving Richardson the chances he needs, but at the same time, Richardson will need to do his part and use his speed to get open. Week 1 will be our first glimpse at Richardson in burgundy, and our first look at how he’s progressed over the summer. Is the arrow still trending up for the Seahawks’ former big play threat? Or is he not as dynamic as advertised?
No. 4 – CB Quinton Dunbar
The only holdover from 2017 on this list, Quinton Dunbar might as well be a new player. He’s three years removed from going undrafted and converting from wide receiver to cornerback in his first NFL offseason. Now, he’s the team’s starter opposite former All-Pro Josh Norman.
How’s that for an underdog story?
Nevertheless, the story isn’t finished yet. With an increased workload now in sight, Dunbar still needs to prove himself. With his combination of speed and length, he’s shown flashes at the cornerback position (San Francisco last year is a telling example), but 2018 will be his first true chance to show his worth.
In Week 1, Dunbar will match up with anyone from third-round rookie Christian Kirk to 11-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald. Dunbar will have to be ready for anything in his first Week 1 start. If he performs well, perhaps there will be more starts in his future. If not, the Redskins may be forced to find another answer sooner rather than later.
No. 3 – RB Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson has plenty of doubters, and although his lone preseason game helped quiet the noise, he still has plenty to prove as the Redskins’ stopgap at running back in 2018.
Yes, it’s true. Peterson was once the best player in the entire NFL. But those days are far behind us now. In 2018, Peterson is a 33-year old running back with a less-than-ideal injury history and a very average 2017 stat line. He showed flashes of his former self with the Cardinals, but consistency was a rare commodity.
That said, the Redskins’ offensive line is a clear cut above that of Arizona, and Peterson should be able to work his magic, if he can stay healthy. Health has always been the biggest question with Peterson, and it’s a question that’s not going to go away anytime soon. With as much contact as Peterson’s accrued over his affluent career, the next snap is never a sure thing.
But while there are lingering doubts that will never truly fade away, Peterson can work toward changing the perception by having a solid, stable Week 1 with Washington. All eyes will be on him. Why? Because he could make or break the season for the Redskins’ offense.
No. 2 – DT Daron Payne
The Cardinals offense isn’t the most notorious unit in the league, but there is one player who is feared for his ability to produce on his own. A catalyst for an offense. David Johnson.
Before his season-ending injury last year, Johnson was not only one of the best running backs in the nation, but one of the best offensive weapons in the nation. He’s a dynamic back who can literally do everything. Now one-hundred percent, no pre-existing injury will hold him back in 2018.
The Cardinals’ line won’t do Johnson any favors, but he’s a special breed; the kind that can negate the failures of those around him. The Redskins’ front seven will have the crucial task of neutralizing Johnson, and in that role, much of the responsibility naturally falls on the Redskins’ starting nose tackle, first-round rookie Daron Payne.
Payne built a reputation as a monster on the line in the offseason, and in preseason, his play supported those claims, as he provided value both in run defense and against the pass. Payne has been described as an immovable object against rushing attacks, and on Sunday, he’ll need to live up to that reputation.
No. 1 – QB Alex Smith
New season, new quarterback.
The rate of quarterback turnover for the Redskins has legitimately been that severe over the past two decades. Kirk Cousins brought some degree of stability to the team, but that stability was limited by the fragmented nature of his franchise tags. Ultimately, the two sides couldn’t come to terms, and Cousins left for Minnesota.
The Redskins, meanwhile, looked to keep themselves afloat. With a roster building closer and closer to competitiveness, they didn’t want to start over at quarterback. And so that desire for professional continuity led the Redskins to trade for Alex Smith.
The cost was high, but Smith can win over the doubters with a solid outing in Week 1. While Jay Gruden is 0-4 in season openers with Washington, Smith is 4-0 in his last four debuts. Smith’s winning ways have been well-documented over the course of the offseason, and if he can bring some of that reliability to the Redskins’ offense, then they’ll be able to stay in the hunt.